~Chapter 79~
Hiccup, hiccup.
She was so shocked by the unexpected suggestion that her body reacted on its own.
‘Did he… just call me by my name?’
He’d never done that before. So why now?
“You okay?”
Johann picked up a nearby glass of water and handed it to her.
“Hiccup… sorry.”
Leah quickly drank the water in one go.
“Um… you didn’t mean it when you said you wanted to go with me and Rafi, right?”
Why would he want to go to the founding festival with me?
“No, you heard me right.”
“You want to go… with me? What about Raphaella?”
“Of course Rafi’s coming too,” he said, his red eyes looking at her gently.
“But Leah, I’d like you to come to the festival as well.”
It felt awkward and weird to hear him say that.
And him suddenly calling her name made her fingertips tingle.
“What do you think?”
“Uh… okay.”
She didn’t really have a reason to say no.
“But, um… Duke?”
“Yeah?”
“Why are you suddenly calling me by my name?”
She thought the question might’ve been too blunt, but she really wanted to know.
He never used her name before—so why now?
“Is it not okay if I do?”
“It’s not like it’s a problem…”
Johann looked kind of dejected, which made her feel a little guilty.
“Does it make you uncomfortable?”
“…Well, it’s just, you’ve never done it before.”
“Then I guess I’ll just have to start doing it more often.”
What? More often?
“Huh? That’s not really necessary…”
“If you hear it more, it won’t feel so awkward, right?”
He smiled playfully.
“Well, I guess…”
Why now, though?
He always just said “you” before, and now he’s suddenly calling me by name.
She asked why, but he dodged the question.
“I’ll keep saying your name until it feels normal,” he said, flashing a charming smile.
That smile made her chest feel tingly, so she lowered her head a little.
She didn’t want to get caught up in that feeling.
“Are you going to keep working today?”
“No, I think I’ll stop for now.”
“Then let’s go see Rafi together.”
“…Together?”
“Together.”
Leah nodded a little—she couldn’t say no to seeing her daughter.
He’s acting strange… his voice, the way he looks at me, even calling my name.
Leah quickly tidied her desk and headed to the training grounds with Johann.
After watching Raphaella’s lesson, they had dinner together.
This is weird.
Even after returning home, he stayed with her the whole time.
The way he acted was different.
It made her nervous.
Is it because he broke off the engagement with the princess today? Is he just in a really good mood and treating me kindly because of that?
Later that night, Johann walked Leah and Raphaella to their room.
“Goodnight.”
His gentle voice rang in her ears.
“Goodnight, Duke. Sleep well.”
She felt ticklish all the way to her toes.
She wanted to say, “This feels weird, just act like you normally do,” but the words wouldn’t come out.
—
Meanwhile, days passed peacefully at the Blumhardt estate—no visits from the Crown Princess or Prince anymore.
And finally, the day of the Founding Festival arrived.
“Unlike the Day of Rest, the founding festival ends with fireworks at night,” Paula said as she helped Leah get ready.
“Fireworks?”
Leah asked, excited.
She had never seen fireworks before.
“Yup! There’s a parade during the day and fireworks at night—they’re beautiful no matter where you watch them from!”
Mari, who was with her, added excitedly with her hands on her cheeks.
“Mom, let’s definitely watch the fireworks together!”
Raphaella said, thrilled as Helen did her hair.
“Of course, Rafi. Let’s do that.”
Leah smiled warmly.
“But… I’m just going out dressed casually. Do we really need to do all this skincare?”
Leah asked, a bit confused.
“Oh my, Lady Leah. For festivals, the goal is to look effortlessly pretty!”
Mari raised her finger and stood beside Paula.
“So the skin has to look perfect—like you’re glowing without trying.”
Paula explained as she dabbed Leah’s face with a puff.
“Not too flashy, but not plain either!”
“Especially if it’s a date.”
Helen added shyly.
“This isn’t a date.”
Leah waved her hand.
“How is this not a date?”
“You said the Duke asked to go with you—that totally counts as a date!”
The maids clearly didn’t agree with her denial.
It’s really not a date though…
After getting ready, Leah went downstairs to the entrance hall with Raphaella.
Johann was already waiting for them.
Unlike the Day of Rest, today he wore clothes commoners might wear—
a linen shirt and neat black pants.
His hair was also styled loosely over his forehead.
He didn’t look like the Duke of Blumhardt at all.
He… looks like Hardt.
Thump-thump.
Her heart started racing.
“Mom?”
Raphaella called, noticing Leah hadn’t moved from the stairs.
“Oh—sorry. Let’s go.”
Leah gave her head a small shake and walked down.
Even in casual clothes, Johann still had that noble air about him.
Because of that, her heart calmed down a little.
Hardt is gone, Leah.
She reminded herself, quietly relieved.
“Rafi, you look so cute.”
Johann scooped Raphaella up in both arms.
“Hehe, really?”
“Of course. You’re my daughter, after all.”
Today, Raphaella also wore a simple outfit—just like her mom and dad.
“Shall we get going now?”
“Yes!”
They took a carriage to the area near the central plaza and got off.
Holding her parents’ hands tightly, Raphaella walked through the festival with a huge smile.
“I’m so happy to be here with Mommy and Daddy!”
“Really?”
“Even more than the Day of Rest—so much more!”
Seeing her bounce around with joy made both Leah and Johann smile.
As they moved closer to the center of the plaza, more people gathered—it looked like the parade was about to begin.
“Looks like it’s starting over there,”
Johann said, pointing in that direction.
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Mom, Mom.”
“Hmm?”
Raphaella tugged on Leah’s hand.
“I want to eat that.”
She was looking at a cotton candy stand with sparkling eyes.
“You want that?”
Johann leaned down.
“Yes!”
“You two wait here—I’ll go buy it.”
Johann gently stopped them from going with him and walked toward the stand with his long strides.
“Then let’s go find a spot to watch, Rafi.”
“Okay!”
Leah held Raphaella’s hand and led her to a spot near the parade.
The area was already crowded, and more people kept coming.
Will he be able to find us in this crowd?
Leah got a little nervous and went on tiptoes, looking around.
She spotted Johann in the distance, holding some skewers.
“…Ah!”
She raised her hand to wave—but just then, a man bumped into her from the side.
She lost her balance and—
—let go of Raphaella’s hand.
“…Rafi?”
Startled, she quickly looked to where her daughter had been—
but Raphaella was nowhere to be seen.
—
Outside, the festival was filled with joy and laughter—
but inside the Queen’s palace, a dark shadow loomed.
“Did you find out?”
Narcissa was leaning sideways on a sofa, resting her arm on the armrest.
“Yes, Your Majesty,”
the man replied with a tremble in his voice.
“It seems the young lady of Blumhardt had a very high amount of mana during her test.”
He swallowed hard and continued.
“But since her mana didn’t manifest, they’ve been quietly investigating the reason.”
“…She has a lot of mana but can’t use it?”
The Empress took a puff from her long pipe and blew out smoke.
“Is that even possible?”
“It’s rare… but it can happen.”
“Do you think she’ll never manifest it?”
“I… I’m not sure.”
He was sweating nervously.
How does someone this cowardly even gather information…
“Fine. You’re dismissed. Don’t get lazy—keep watching them closely.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
He bowed deeply and left.
“Carmen.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Carmen, who had been standing nearby, stepped forward.
“Even though my daughter messed things up, if we can just get the girl, I think my goal will be within reach.”
If she really can’t use her mana, how much must be stored up inside her by now?
Just thinking about it made her giddy.
If things went as planned, she’d have a massive amount of mana in her hands before winter.
“What about her real mother—has that been handled?”
“We plan to take care of her at today’s festival.”
Carmen lowered her eyes slightly.
“According to the informant at the Blumhardt estate, she’s attending the festival.”
“Is that so?”
Narcissa raised one brow.
“I’m counting on you, Carmen.”
“I’ll make sure everything goes perfectly. I won’t let anything ruin Your Majesty’s plan.”
Carmen’s eyes gleamed sharply.
“Good. That’s what I want to hear.”
The Empress exhaled another long puff of smoke.
There could be no more unexpected variables.
